Folded perforated web

ABSTRACT

A web, such as a tissue or nonwoven web. Perforation lines in the web define sheets. The web is folded before being rolled or stacked, such that the intersection of the perforation lines and the folding line provides reliable dispensing. The web in roll or stack form, a method for forming the web, and a dispenser adapted for dispensing the web are also described.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a web, such as a tissue or nonwovenweb, and a dispenser for said web. The invention also relates to the webin the form of a roll or stack, and methods for making the web, the rolland the stack.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Dispensers for webs, such as tissue paper or nonwoven webs are wellknown. They can be divided into two general types. The first typecomprises stack dispensers in which the web to be dispensed is stored instacks inside the dispenser, and adjacent sheets of the web areinterfolded or joined in some way. Dispensers of the second type areroll dispensers, in which the web to be dispensed is stored in thedispenser on a roll.

WO 98/37794 discloses rolled and folded napkins, which can be dispensedindividually or two or three at a time as desired, depending on thedispensing method.

US 2006/0184148 describes folded fibrous structures, which may be inroll form.

GB 2 400 596 describes a roll of frangibly connected portions. Thepresence of frangible connections obviates the need for perforations.

GB 2 002 327 discloses a wet tissue container in which a drawing memberis made of highly elastic material with a fine diameter hole throughwhich tissue is drawn.

EP 0 953 516 discloses a tissue box in which the dispensing insert ismade of a material with high resilience, so that it reverts to itsinitial shape without losing its elastic properties.

The present invention addresses problems associated with known webs anddispensers. One problem with known dispensers and their associated websis ensuring that the web is dispensed in a consistent manner, i.e. thatthe same length of web is dispensed each time. To achieve this, a web isoften perforated to define sheets. However—in particular if thedispenser only has a small opening, as in GB 2 002 327—the web maybecome folded, or twisted (“roped”) at the point of dispensing, so thatthe perforation line between adjacent sheets also becomes twisted ordeformed. The perforation line therefore becomes less able to promoteaccurate separation of the sheets along its length (i.e. across thewidth of the web). As a result, the web can tear at undesired positions,or fail to tear at all. The outcome is often double-dispensing, in whichtwo sheets are dispensed simultaneously.

Another problem associated with dispensers and their webs is that thefree end of the web often falls back inside the dispenser, or the webbreaks within the dispenser, meaning that a user has to open thedispenser each time, locate the free end of the web and thread itthrough the dispensing opening. Furthermore, if the web in the dispenseris moist (i.e. wet wipes), is needs to be prevented from drying out.

Despite developments in the field of web dispensers, there remains aneed for a dispenser for web stored in roll or stack form, from whicheasy, consistent dispensing of the web is possible.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a web, such as a tissue or nonwoven web.The web has a primary extension in a longitudinal direction (L) and isdefined by first and second longitudinal edges and first and secondends. The web comprises a plurality of sheets, arranged in an end-to-endfashion in the longitudinal direction (L). Each sheet is defined by aportion of the first and second longitudinal edges of the web and byperforation lines which extend between said first and secondlongitudinal edges. The perforation lines comprise at least oneperforation. The web is folded along at least one fold axis, each ofwhich lies in the longitudinal direction (L) of the web and crosses saidperforation lines. At each point at which each of said at least one foldaxis crosses each perforation line, the fold axis coincides with aperforation.

The web is suitably folded along one fold axis lying in the longitudinaldirection of the web, which is preferably located the same distance fromeach longitudinal edge.

Each perforation line may comprise alternating perforation tags andperforations, such that adjacent sheets are connected solely by saidperforation tags. Preferably, each perforation line extendssubstantially in a transverse direction (T), being perpendicular to thelongitudinal direction (L) in the plane of the web. The extension of theperforations in the direction of the perforation line is suitablygreater than the extension of the perforation tags in the direction ofthe perforation line. For instance, the extension of the perforations inthe direction of the perforation line may be at least twice, preferablyat least five times, more preferably at least ten times, most preferablyat least twenty times, the extension of the perforation tags in thedirection of the perforation line. Suitably, each perforation tag has anextension in the direction of the perforation line which is less than 5mm, preferably less than 3 mm, more preferably less than 2 mm, mostpreferably less than 1 mm.

The web may be a tissue web or a nonwoven web. It may also be awet-wipe. The wet-wipe may be impregnated with an emulsion.

The invention also relates to the web as defined above in the form of aroll, wherein the web has been rolled about the first or second end. Theinvention further relates to the web in the form of a stack, wherein theweb has been folded along a plurality of transverse fold axes each ofwhich lies perpendicular to the longitudinal direction (L).

The invention provides a method for forming a web as defined herein,said method comprising the steps of:

a. providing a web having a primary extension in a longitudinaldirection (L) and being defined by first and second longitudinal edgesand first and second ends;

b. providing the web with longitudinally-spaced perforation lines whichextend between said first and second longitudinal edges and comprise atleast one perforation;

c. folding the perforated web about at least one fold axis, each ofwhich lies in the longitudinal direction of the web; such that, at eachpoint at which the at least one fold axis crosses each perforation line,the fold axis coincides with a perforation.

The invention provides another method for forming a web as definedherein, said method comprising the steps of:

a. providing a web having a primary extension in a longitudinaldirection (L) and being defined by first and second longitudinal edgesand first and second ends;

b. folding the perforated web about at least one fold axis, each ofwhich lies in the longitudinal direction of the web;

c. providing the folded web with longitudinally-spaced perforation lineswhich extend between said fold axis and first and second longitudinaledges and which comprise at least one perforation, such that, at eachpoint at which the at least one fold axis crosses each perforation line,the fold axis coincides with a perforation.

In a development of the above methods, a web may be formed in a roll, inwhich case, the methods additionally comprise the step of; rolling thefolded, perforated web into a roll about the first or second end. If astack is to be formed, the methods additionally comprise the step of;folding the folded, perforated web along a plurality of transverse foldaxes each of which lies perpendicular to the longitudinal direction (L).

The invention also relates to a dispenser comprising the web describedherein. The dispenser further comprises a dispensing opening throughwhich said web is dispensed. The dispensing opening may have a formselected from the group consisting of: circular, square, rectangular orslit-shaped. The dispensing opening may be located in a dispensinginsert, said insert being formed of an elastic material, preferablysilicone. The dispensing opening suitably has an area of between 0.8mm²-20 mm², such as between 1 mm²-10 mm². The dispenser may furthercomprise a cap adapted to cover the dispensing opening when thedispenser is in use.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will now be described with reference to the non-limitingembodiments illustrated in the Figures and described below, in which;

FIG. 1 shows a web according to one embodiment of the invention,

FIG. 2 shows a web according to a second embodiment of the invention,

FIG. 3A is a cross-sectional view along the line 3A-3A in FIG. 2,

FIG. 3B is a cross-sectional view along the line 3B-3B in FIG. 2,

FIG. 4 shows an edge-feed roll comprising the web of FIG. 1,

FIG. 5 shows a centre-feed roll comprising the web of FIG. 1,

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken through the roll of FIG. 4 or 5,

FIG. 7 shows a stack comprising the web of FIG. 1,

FIGS. 8A and 8B show a dispenser according to the invention

FIGS. 9A and 9B show an alternative dispenser according to the invention

DEFINITIONS

It should be noted that the term “perforation” is intended to includeopenings produced in a web by any means, and not only openings that havebeen made by piercing or cutting the web. Individual sheets may bemanufactured and connected together along only parts of their edges,leaving one or more openings between the connections.

A “tab” used to interconnect two adjacent sheets may be an integral partof the web material, or may comprise material that is added to the web.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIGS. 1 and 2 show web 100 according to the invention, in a partiallyunfolded state. The web 100 may be e.g. a tissue or a nonwoven web. Theweb 100 is a strip of generally planar material, with a primaryextension in a longitudinal direction (L). The web is defined by first101 and second 102 longitudinal edges and first 103 and second 104 ends.Typically, the web 100 typically has a length (the extension in thelongitudinal direction) of between 10 m and 500 m. For tissue webs, theweb preferably has a length of between 10 m and 400 m, while fornonwoven webs, the length is preferably between 10 m and 100 m. The webhas a secondary extension in the transverse direction (T); i.e. a width,which typically lies between 10 cm and 100 cm, preferably between 20 cmand 50 cm, more preferably between 20 cm and 30 cm. The longitudinaledges 101, 102 are generally parallel to each other, as are the firstand second ends 103, 104.

The web 100 may be selected from a wide range of materials. The web maybe a tissue paper, or a nonwoven material, or a hybrid materialcomprising both natural and synthetic fibres.

The web 100 may comprise natural fibres. Natural fibres useful in thepresent invention include silk fibers, keratin fibers and cellulosicfibers. Examples of cellulosic fibers include those selected from thegroup comprising wood pulp fibers, cotton fibers, hemp fibers, grass,bagasse, kemp jute fibers, flax fibers, and mixtures thereof. Wood pulp(i.e. comprising cellulose fibers) is preferred. A commercial example ofsuch a wood pulp material is available from Weyerhaeuser as CF-405.Applicable wood pulps include chemical pulps, such as Kraft (i.e.,sulfate) and sulfite pulps, as well as mechanical pulps including, forexample, groundwood, thermomechanical pulp (i.e., TMP) andchemithermomechanical pulp (i.e., CTMP). Completely bleached, partiallybleached and unbleached fibers are useful. It may be desired to utilizebleached pulp. Also useful in the present invention are fibers derivedfrom recycled paper, which can contain any or all of the abovecategories as well as other non-fibrous materials such as fillers andadhesives used to facilitate the original paper making process.

The web 100 may alternatively, or additionally comprise syntheticfibres, e.g. fibres formed from polyolefins, polyesters, polyamides,polycarbonates, polyurethanes, polyvinylchloride, polyvinyl acetate,polyvinyl alcohol, polytetrafluoroethylene, polystyrene, polyethyleneterephathalate, biodegradable polymers such as polylactic acid andcopolymers and blends thereof. Suitable polyolefins includepolyethylene, e.g., high density polyethylene, medium densitypolyethylene, low density polyethylene and linear low densitypolyethylene; polypropylene, e.g., isotactic polypropylene, syndiotacticpolypropylene, blends of isotactic polypropylene and atacticpolypropylene, and blends thereof; polybutylene, e.g., poly(1-butene)and poly(2-butene); polypentene, e.g., poly(1-pentene) andpoly(2-pentene); poly(3-methyl-1-pentene); poly(4-methyl-1-pentene); andcopolymers and blends thereof. Suitable copolymers include random andblock copolymers prepared from two or more different unsaturated olefinmonomers, such as ethylene/propylene and ethylene/butylene copolymers.Suitable polyamides include nylon 6, nylon 6/6, nylon 4/6, nylon 11,nylon 12, nylon 6/10, nylon 6/12, nylon 12/12, copolymers of caprolactamand alkylene oxide diamine, and the like, as well as blends andcopolymers thereof. Suitable polyesters include polyethyleneterephthalate, polytrimethylene terephthalate, polybutyleneterephthalate, polytetramethylene terephthalate,polycyclohexylene-1,4-dimethylene terephthalate, and isophthalatecopolymers thereof, as well as blends thereof. Thermoplastic fibres suchas polyethylene or polypropylene, are preferred.

The web may also comprise semi-synthetic fibres, such as cellulose esterfibers, modacrylic fibers, rayon fibers and mixtures thereof.

The fibres may be short fibres (staple fibers, i.e., fibers whichgenerally have a defined length between about 10 mm and about 60 mm) orcontinuous fibres.

A preferred web 100 can have from 20-50 wt. % of thermoplastic polymerfibers and 80-50 wt. % of pulp fibers. The preferred ratio of polymerfibers to pulp fibers can be from 25-40 wt. % of polymer fibers and75-60 wt. % of pulp fibers. A more preferred ratio of polymer fibers topulp fibers can be from 30-40 wt. % of polymer fibers and 70-60 wt. % ofpulp fibers. The most preferred ratio of polymer fibers to pulp fiberscan be from 35 wt. % of polymer fibers and 65 wt. % of pulp fibers.Another preferred web comprises 60-80%, preferably around 70% viscosefibres and 20-40%, preferably around 30% polyester fibres.

The fibers of the web 100 may be monocomponent fibers or multicomponentfibers. In addition, the fibers may be shaped or round fibers.

The web 100 may be made in a number of different ways. For example,tissue sheets are typically wet-laid from a fibre slurry. In such aprocedures, a web is made by forming an aqueous papermaking furnish (orslurry), depositing this furnish onto a foraminous surface, such as aFourdrinier wire or double-wire, and by then removing water from thefurnish, for example by gravity, by vacuum assisted drying and/or byevaporation, with or without pressing, to thereby form a paper web ofdesired fiber consistency. In many cases, the papermaking apparatus isset up to rearrange the fibers in the slurry of papermaking furnish asdewatering proceeds in order to form paper substrates of especiallydesirable strength, hand, bulk, appearance, absorbency, etc. Thepapermaking furnish can optionally contain a wide variety of chemicalssuch as wet strength resins, surfactants, pH control agents, softnessadditives, debonding agents and the like. Papermaking techniques aredescribed in, e.g. U.S. Pat. No. 3,301,746, EP 677,612, U.S. Pat. No.4,529,480, U.S. Pat. No. 5,073,235

Nonwoven webs 100 may be made by any known method for making nonwovenmaterials, e.g. meltblowing processes, spunbonding processes, air-layingprocesses, hydroentangling processes, coforming processes and bondedcarded web processes. Suitable processes for forming nonwoven materialsare described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,849,241, U.S. Pat. No. 4,340,563 andU.S. Pat. No. 5,350,624

The web 100 may comprise materials other than the base fibres. Theseadditional materials may be present in the fibre mixture from which theweb is formed, or may be provided to the web after its formation. Forexample, the web may comprise absorbent material (e.g. superabsorbentmaterial), pigments, or binders.

After being formed, the web 100 may be after-treated. Suitableafter-treatments include embossing, calendaring, patterning, creping,needling, perforating, impregnating, printing with ink, thermaltreatment or combinations thereof. The after-treatment may take placeover the entire surface of the web, or over only certain regionsthereof.

The web 100 may be a laminate of one or more plies, such as two, threeor four plies. Plies of a given web 100 may be the same or different interms of their constitution, the technique used in their formation ortheir after-treatment.

The plies of the web 100 may be joined to neighbouring plies in anymanner. The plies may be joined over the entire surface of the web, orover only certain regions thereof. Joining can be accomplished in anumber of ways such as hydroentanglement, needling, ultrasonic bonding,adhesive bonding and thermal bonding. Ultrasonic bonding is performed,for example, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,374,888. Thermal bonding ofa multilayer laminate may be accomplished by passing the laminatebetween the rolls of a calendering machine. Lamination of two or moretissue plies can take place via adhesive or mechanical embossingtechniques, or a combination of these techniques. Lamination of embossedplies may be in a foot-to-foot, nested or decor fashion.

If the web 100 is a nonwoven web, it may have a basis weight of between40 and 120 g/cm², preferably between 60 and 70 g/cm². If the web 100 isa tissue web, it may have a basis weight of between 12 and 100 g/cm²,preferably between 25 and 50 g/cm².

It is of particular interest that the web 100 is impregnated with acomposition, so that it comprises wet-wipes. Impregnation may be carriedout using any known technique, e.g. spraying, rolling or dipping.Non-limiting examples of suitable compositions and methods for theirapplication are described in EP 1 333 868 and the references citedtherein.

Of most interest is a web 100 impregnated with a microemulsion. Anemulsion is a combination of one liquid finely dispersed in another. Forexample, the microemulsion may be an oil-in-water or water-in-oilemulsion, preferably oil-in-water. Suitable microemulsions forimpregnating into the web 100 are described in WO 99/37747, WO 01/13880,US 2004/0191300 and US 2005/0186167.

If the web 100 is impregnated with a microemulsion, it is important forthe pore volume and pore radius in the web 100 to suit the dimensions inthe emulsion, so that the emulsion is adequately contained within theweb 100, but also so that dirt is effectively encapsulated in the poresof the web 100. As such, the pores of the web may have a pore radius ofbetween 20-60 μm, preferably between 30-50 μm and a pore volumedistribution of between 50-400 mm³/μm·g, preferably between 50-250mm³/μm·g. A suitable method for measuring pore volume distribution isprovided in WO 03/069038.

Parameters of the web 100 such as friction or softness can be varied bythe skilled person within the scope of the invention, depending on thenature of the web itself and the purpose for which it is intended.

The web 100 comprises a plurality of sheets 105, as seen in FIGS. 1 and2. Each sheet 105 is defined by a portion of the first 101 and second102 longitudinal edges of the web 100 and by perforation lines 110extending between said first 101 and second 102 longitudinal edges ofthe web 100. Thus, the web 100 consists of a plurality of sheets 105,arranged in an end-to-end fashion in the longitudinal direction L. Thesheets 105 are suitably rectangular or square (i.e. the perforationlines 110 are substantially straight and are aligned in the transversedirection) although other shapes are possible (e.g. diamond shapes orcurved shapes) depending on the shape and alignment of the perforationlines 110. The length of each sheet 105 (i.e. the distance betweenadjacent perforation lines 110) can be varied, but typically liesbetween 5 cm and 50 cm, preferably between 10 cm and 40 cm, morepreferably between 15 and 30 cm.

The sheets 105 of the present invention are well suited for a variety ofdry and wet cleaning operations such as: mopping floors; cleaning of drysurfaces: cleaning and drying wet surfaces such as counters, tabletopsor floors; sterilizing and/or disinfecting surfaces by applying liquiddisinfectants; wiping down and/or cleaning appliances, machinery orequipment with liquid cleansers; rinsing surfaces or articles with wateror other diluents, removing dirt, dust and/or other debris and so forth.In particular, the laminates of the present inventions have utility inpersonal care wipes, such as baby wipes, hand wipes or facial wipes.Furthermore, the sheets 105 are disposable after either a single use ora limited number of uses.

Each perforation line 110 comprises at least one perforation 112, andpreferably comprises alternating perforation tags 111 and perforations112. The perforations 112 are defined as the through-holes or openingsformed in the web 100 upon perforation, while the perforation tags 111are defined as the portion of the web 100 which remains unperforatedupon perforation. In other words, the sheets 105 are connected to eachother in the roll 10 solely by said perforation tags 111 along theperforation lines 110. Perforation can be carried out by any meanscommon in the field, such as e.g. a rotating knife which is passed overthe web 100 in the transverse direction (T). In a particular example, aperforation knife available from Fabio Perini S.p.A., Lucca, Italy, withthe following characteristics: Knife length=172 cm; Knife width=3 cm;Teeth width=0.8 cm; Tooth height=0.15 cm; Number of teeth=190.5 pcs; wasused to provide perforations 112 with a length of 8.0 mm and perforationtags 111 with a length of 1.5 mm. Perforation may also be carried outusing lasers or high-pressure water streams.

The number of perforations 112 and perforation tags 111, and thedimensions of the perforation tags 111, should be adapted to e.g. thestrength of the web 100 (stronger webs will tolerate fewer, smaller,perforation tags 111) or the perforation method. Preferably, eachperforation line 110 will comprise an odd number of perforations 112,and comprises least three, at least five, at least seven, at least nineor at least eleven perforations 112. Perforations 112 typically have arectangular shape, but may take other shapes, for example,crescent-shaped or circular.

The web 100 is folded along at least one fold axis 120, each of whichlies in the longitudinal direction L of the web 100. FIG. 1 shows apreferred embodiment in which the web 100 is folded along one fold axis120, which is located the same distance from each longitudinal edge 101,102 of the web. In this case, the web 100 is effectively folded in halfabout its longitudinal axis so that longitudinal edges 101, 102 meet.However, it is also possible that the fold axis 120 lies closer to onelongitudinal edge 101, 102 of the web.

FIG. 2 shows an embodiment in which the web 100 is folded about threefold axes 120. Firstly, the longitudinal edges 101, 102 of the web 100are folded to the centre of the web 100, by folding about first andsecond fold axes 120 a, 120 b. The web 100 is thus C-folded in thetransverse direction (T). This C-folded web is then folded about a thirdfold axis 120 c, such that the web 100 is folded in half about itslongitudinal axis so that first and second fold axes 120 a, 120 b meet.

FIGS. 3A and 3B are a cross-sectional views along the lines 3A-3A and3B-3B, respectively, in FIG. 2, showing the arrangement of the threefolds.

Although the invention has been illustrated with reference to one foldaxis 120 in FIG. 1 and three fold axes 120 a, 120 b, 120 c in FIG. 2,this should not be considered as limiting the scope of the invention.One, two, three, four or more fold axes 120 may be present in the web100. However, odd numbers of fold axes (one, three . . . ) areparticularly preferred. In addition, the fold axes 120 are preferablydistributed evenly across the transverse direction of the web 100, sothat folding the web 100 produces panels of the web with equal width.

The present invention has realised the importance of the relativelocations of the perforations 112 and the fold axis 120 for good,reliable dispensing of sheets 105 of web 110. The present inventionrequires that, at each point at which said at least one fold axis 120crosses each perforation line 110, the fold axis 120 does not coincidewith a perforation tag 111. That is, the fold axis 120 should coincidewith a perforation 112 in the perforation line 110. This is clearlyshown in FIGS. 1 and 2—the fold axis 120 only overlaps with perforations112, not perforation tags 111.

Upon folding, therefore, the web 100 has perforations 112 located alongone edge thereof—the edge defined by a fold axis 120. This is also shownin FIGS. 1 and 2. The combination of folding and perforating asdescribed ensures that a sharp starting point is provided at the edgedefined by the fold axis 120 when a user tears off sheets 105. Ineffect, notches are formed by the perforations 112 in the folded edge ofthe web 100. Longitudinal tension forces in the web 100 will tend toconcentrate along the folding axis 120, as the longitudinal edges 101,102 of the web 100 are not bonded to one another. In addition, thedouble thickness of the web 100 at this edge provides strength in theregion outside the perforation 112. All of these features simplify theseparation of individual sheets 105 in a consistent manner.

In order to promote that a perforation 112 coincides with the fold axis120, the extension of the perforations 112 in the direction of theperforation line 110 may be greater than the extension of theperforation tags 111 in the direction of the perforation line 110. Theextension of the perforations 112 in the direction of the perforationline 110 may in fact be at least twice, preferably at least five times,more preferably at least ten times, most preferably at least twentytimes, the extension of the perforation tags 111 in the direction of theperforation line 110. In effect, the sheets 105 are joined in the web100 by thin perforation tags 111, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Suitably,the perforation tags 111 have an extension in the direction of theperforation line 110 which is less than 5 mm, preferably less than 3 mm,more preferably less than 2 mm, most preferably less than 1 mm.

FIGS. 4 and 5 show rolls 10 of web 100 according to the invention. Forsimplicity, the web 100 of FIG. 1 (with a single, central fold axis 120)is illustrated, in a partially unrolled, unfolded state.

The roll in FIG. 4 is an edge-feed roll, meaning that the web 100 isdispensed by unwinding it from the perimeter of the roll 10. Edge-feedrolls can be formed by rolling web 100 around a core 11. The core 11 maycomprise a compressed and/or glued core of web, about which theremaining web 100 is rolled. Alternatively, the core 11 may be aseparate component of the roll 10, such as that found in a typicaltoilet roll. Edge-feed rolls may also be coreless—such rolls aretypically formed by wrapping web 100 around a spindle, which issubsequently removed (e.g. by collapsing the spindle). The free (outer)end of the web 100 is secured to the roll 10 by any known method (e.g.using glue or a separate piece of material) to prevent unraveling.Coreless rolls are further described in WO 06/130057 and WO 06/080869.

The roll 10 of FIG. 5 is a centre-feed roll, in that web 100 isdispensed by unwinding it from the centre of the roll 10. Such rolls aretypically manufactured as coreless rolls—by winding web 100 on a spindlewhich is then removed. To initiate dispensing from a centre-feed roll,the central portion of the roll is first pulled out, allowing web 100 tofollow. Centre-feed rolls are further described in US 2007/262187 and EP1 667 563.

The rolls 10 illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5 are generally cylindrical.Typically, the rolls 10 of the invention have a diameter of between 5 cmand 55 cm, preferably between 10 cm and 40 cm, and an end-to-end lengthof between 10 cm and 50 cm, preferably between 10 cm and 30 cm. The roll10 may be packaged for delivery in a wrap or box.

The roll 10 comprises web 100. In FIGS. 4 and 5, the first end 103 ofthe web 100 lies innermost in the roll 10, while the second end 104 liesoutermost—which end is dispensed first depends on whether the roll 10 iscentre-feed or edge-feed. When web 100 is dispensed from the roll 10, itshould separate at the perforation lines 110 so as to provide individualsheets 105.

The web 100 is rolled into the roll 10 in this folded state, as can beseen in FIGS. 4 and 5. When rolled, therefore, one end face 12 of theroll 10 is constituted by the fold axis 120, while the other end face 13of the roll 10 is constituted by the longitudinal edges 101, 102 of theweb 100. This can be see in FIG. 6, which is a cross-sectional viewtaken through the roll 10 of FIG. 4 or 5. Dispensing of the web 100 fromthe roll 10 of FIG. 6 takes place most readily from the end face 12constituted by the fold axis 120, as the forces are applied through thefold axis 120. This is shown clearly in the expanded views in FIG. 6:one end face 12 of the roll 10 constitutes the fold axis 120,interdispersed with perforations 112. The other end face 11 of the roll10 constitutes the two longitudinal edges 101, 102 of the web 100.

FIG. 7 shows the web 100 of FIG. 1 in the form of a stack 20, in apartially unfolded state. In the stack 20, the web 100 has been foldedalong a plurality of transverse fold axes 121, each of which liesperpendicular to the longitudinal direction L. In a similar way to theroll 10, one end face 22 of the stack is constituted by the fold axis120, while the other end face 23 of the stack 20 is constituted by thelongitudinal edges 101, 102 of the web 100. Dispensing of the web 100from the stack 20 of FIG. 7 takes place most readily from the end face22 constituted by the fold axis 120, as the forces are applied throughthe fold axis 120. Any arrangement of transverse fold axes 121 ispossible; however, it is preferred that adjacent transverse fold axes121 are equally spaced to provide an even stack 20.

There are two possible methods for forming the web 100 according to theinvention. The first method comprises the steps of:

-   -   a. providing a web having a primary extension in a longitudinal        direction (L) and being defined by first 101 and second 102        longitudinal edges and first 103 and second 104 ends;    -   b. providing the web 100 with longitudinally-spaced perforation        lines 110 which extend between said first 101 and second 102        longitudinal edges and comprise alternating perforation tags 111        and perforations 112;    -   c. folding the perforated web 100 about at least one fold axis        120, each of which lies in the longitudinal direction of the        web; such that, at each point at which the at least one fold        axis 120 crosses each perforation line 110, the fold axis 120        does not coincide with a perforation tag 111.

Alternatively, the steps of perforating and folding may be carried outin reverse order, so that the second method comprises the steps of:

-   -   a. providing a web having a primary extension in a longitudinal        direction (L) and being defined by first 101 and second 102        longitudinal edges and first 103 and second 104 ends;    -   b. folding the perforated web 100 about at least one fold axis        120, each of which lies in the longitudinal direction of the        web;    -   c. providing the folded web 100 with longitudinally-spaced        perforation lines 110 which extend between said fold axis 120        and first 101 and second 102 longitudinal edges and which        comprise alternating perforation tags 111 and perforations 112,        such that, at each point at which the at least one fold axis 120        crosses each perforation line 110, the fold axis 120 does not        coincide with a perforation tag 111.

Perforating a folded web 100 allows greater accuracy in the placement ofthe perforation lines 110 in the resulting web 100 than does folding aperforated web 100, so the second method may be preferred. On the otherhand, if the web 100 is relatively thick, perforating a folded web 100may not be easy, and it may therefore be advantageous to use the firstmethod.

When forming a web 100 in the form of a roll 10, either methodadditionally comprises the step of rolling the folded, perforated webinto a roll 10 about the first 103 or second end 104 (of the web 100).

When forming a web 100 in the form of a stack 20, either methodadditionally comprises the step of folding the folded, perforated web100 along a plurality of transverse fold axes 121 each of which liesperpendicular to the longitudinal direction (L).

FIGS. 8 and 9 show a dispenser 200 comprising the roll 10 according tothe invention. The dispenser 200 comprises an opening 210 through whichsaid web 100 is dispensed. The dispenser 200 can take any shape which issuitable for containing the roll 10, but is preferably substantiallycylindrical in form. It has dimensions which are suitable for containingthe roll 10, but are not substantially larger. The dispenser 200 may bemade of plastic, metal or card, or combinations of these materials,plastic being preferred. The dispenser 200 comprises a housing 202 and adispensing opening 210 through which said web 100 is dispensed. Thehousing 202 can preferably be opened to allow the dispenser 200 to berefilled, for example, the housing 202 comprises two parts which areassembled around the web 100 (e.g. a lid 202 a and a base 202 b).

The dispenser 200 in FIG. 8 is a portable dispenser 200 having the formof a base 202 b with a lid 202 a and a handle 204. This dispenser 200sits on a horizontal surface and sheets 105 of web 100 are drawn upwardsthrough the dispensing opening 210 in the lid 204. Alternatively, thedispenser 200 of FIG. 8 can be hung from the handle 204 with thedispensing opening 210 facing downwards.

The dispenser 200 in FIG. 9 is a wall-mounted dispenser 200, in whichpart of the housing 202 is attached to a vertical surface such as awall. Sheets 105 of web 100 are drawn downwards through the dispensingopening 210. The dispenser 200 in FIG. 4 also comprises a viewingopening 205, which allows a user to see how much web 100 remains in thedispenser. The skilled person can select a suitable location for theviewing opening 205 for best effect.

The roll 10 is preferably arranged in the dispensers 200 of FIGS. 8 and9 such that web 10 is dispensed from the end face 12 of the roll 10which is constituted by the fold axis 120. In other words, it is thisend face which is located adjacent the dispensing opening 210 (upwardsin FIG. 8, downwards in FIG. 9).

The dispensing opening 210 may take a number of forms, such as e.g. anelongated slit or a hole such as a circular hole. The dispensing opening200 may be covered by a cap 206 when not in use, which seals thedispensing opening 200, so as to further prevent wet web 100 from dryingout and to protect it from dust and dirt. The dispenser 200 may comprisea dispensing insert 201 in which the dispensing opening 210 is located,said dispensing insert 201 being formed of an elastic material, such ase.g. silicone or rubber, which returns to its original shape after beingdeformed. The dispensing insert 201 will deform when web 100 isdispensed, and the elastic forces which act to return it to its originalform will grasp the following sheet 105, promoting good separation ofthe sheets 105. This feature, in combination with the arrangement ofperforations 112 in the web 100 described above, promotes accurate,reliable separation of the sheets 105 during dispensing. An elasticdispensing insert 201 also reduces the chances of the web 100 fallingback into the dispenser. The following sheet 105 sticks up from thedispensing opening 210 a short way, such as between 0.5 and 2 cm, whichis enough that it can be grasped by a user, but not enough that wet webdries out too much. In addition, compression of the web 100 by thedispensing insert 201 allows a good seal to be achieved, again limitingdrying out of wet web.

FIGS. 8A and 9A show the dispensers 200 prior to use. A short length ofweb 100 sticks up from the dispensing opening 210 a short way, such asbetween 0.5 and 2 cm, which is enough that it can be grasped by a user,but not enough that wet web dries out too much. When a user pulls on theweb 100, web 100 is drawn from the dispenser 200. When a perforationline 110 passes through the dispensing opening 120, the situationillustrated in FIGS. 8B and 9B is established, in which the perforation112 located on the fold line 120 is stretched in the longitudinaldirection of the web 100, so as to form a well-defined tearing point forthe web 100. A sheet 105 of the web 100 separates at this point, againleaving a short length of web sticking up from the dispensing opening210. The design of the web 100 of the invention (especially when used inthe dispenser 200 of the invention) makes it very difficult to removetwo sheets 105 in a single dispensing action (i.e. double-dispensing isessentially eliminated).

Dispensing of sheets 105 from the roll 10 of the invention isparticularly effective when the opening 210 has a dimension in thetransverse (T) direction of the web which is less than the width of theweb 100 itself, so that the web 100 must be compressed to pass throughthe dispensing opening 210. In particular, the dispensing openingpreferably has an area of between 0.8 mm²-20 mm², such as between 1mm²-10 mm², as measured in the plane which is substantiallyperpendicular to the direction in which web 100 is primarily dispensed,and when no web is present in the dispensing opening 210 (i.e. beforedispensing is initiated). During dispensing, the size of the dispensingopening 210 varies with the thickness of the web 100, the amount offolding/compression required to pass the web 100 through the opening210, and the tension in the web 100 during dispensing.

The dispensers 200 illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9 can be adapted tocontain a web 100 in the form of a stack 20. In this case, thedispensers 200 may have an essentially cuboid form, e.g. a tissue box.As for the roll 10, dispensing of web 100 from the stack 20 preferablytakes place from the end face 22 of the stack which is constituted bythe fold axis 120.

The invention should not be considered limited by the above descriptionand Figures, but should instead be determined by the appended claims. Inparticular, features from different embodiments may be combined by theskilled person within the scope of the invention.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A web having a primary extension in alongitudinal direction and being defined by first and secondlongitudinal edges and first and second ends, said web comprising aplurality of sheets arranged in an end-to-end fashion in thelongitudinal direction; each sheet being defined by a portion of thefirst and second longitudinal edges of the web and by perforation lineswhich extend between said first and second longitudinal edges; saidperforation lines comprising at least one perforation; wherein the webis folded along at least one fold axis, each of which lies in thelongitudinal direction of the web and crosses said perforation lines;said web being in the form of a roll, which has been rolled about thefirst or second end; and wherein at each point at which each of said atleast one fold axis crosses each perforation line, the fold axiscoincides with a perforation.
 2. The web according to claim 1, whereinsaid at least one fold axis lies in the longitudinal direction of theweb.
 3. The web according to claim 2, wherein said at least one foldaxis is located the same distance from each longitudinal edge.
 4. Theweb according to claim 1, wherein each perforation line comprisesalternating perforation tags and perforations such that adjacent sheetsare connected solely by said perforation tags.
 5. The web according toclaim 4, wherein the extension of the perforations in the direction ofthe perforation line is greater than the extension of the perforationtags in the direction of the perforation line.
 6. The web according toclaim 5, wherein the extension of the perforations in the direction ofthe perforation line is at least twice the extension of the perforationtags in the direction of the perforation line.
 7. The web according toclaim 4, wherein each perforation tag has an extension in the directionof the perforation line which is less than 5 mm.
 8. The web according toclaim 1, wherein each perforation line extends substantially in atransverse direction, being perpendicular to the longitudinal directionin the plane of the web.
 9. The web according to claim 1, wherein theweb is a tissue web.
 10. The web according to claim 1, wherein the webis a nonwoven web.
 11. The web according to claim 1, wherein the web isa wet-wipe.
 12. The web according to claim 11, wherein the wet-wipe isimpregnated with an emulsion.
 13. A dispenser comprising the webaccording to claim 1, said dispenser further comprising a dispensingopening through which said web is dispensed.
 14. The dispenser accordingto claim 13, wherein the dispensing opening has a form selected from thegroup consisting of: circular, square, rectangular or slit-shaped. 15.The dispenser according to claim 13, comprising a dispensing insert inwhich the dispensing opening is located, said insert being formed of anelastic material.
 16. The dispenser according to claim 13, wherein thedispensing opening has an area of between 0.8 mm²-20=².
 17. Thedispenser according to claim 13, further comprising a cap adapted tocover the dispensing opening when the dispenser is not in use.
 18. Amethod for forming a web comprising the steps of: a. providing a webhaving a primary extension in a longitudinal direction and being definedby first and second longitudinal edges and first and second ends; b.providing the web with longitudinally-spaced perforation lines whichextend between said first and second longitudinal edges and comprise atleast one perforation; c. folding the perforated web about at least onefold axis, each of which lies in the longitudinal direction of the web;such that, at each point at which the at least one fold axis crosseseach perforation line, the fold axis coincides with a perforation; andd. rolling the folded, perforated web into a roll about the first orsecond end.
 19. A method for forming a web comprising the steps of: a.providing a web having a primary extension in a longitudinal directionand being defined by first and second longitudinal edges and first andsecond ends; b. folding the web about at least one fold axis, each ofwhich lies in the longitudinal direction of the web; c. providing thefolded web with longitudinally-spaced perforation lines which extendbetween said fold axis and first and second longitudinal edges and whichcomprise at least one perforation, such that, at each point at which theat least one fold axis crosses each perforation line, the fold axiscoincides with a perforation; and d. rolling the folded, perforated webinto a roll about the first or second end.